Dragon’s Dogma 2 New Zealand release time trick to play early right now

Dragon’s Dogma 2 has been one of the most anticipated games for several years let alone just 2024. Everything about the game looks superb, and it launches in just a few days. Alas, there is no early access pre-order bonus, but there is a way to play before launch on March 22nd. Here you will find how to play Dragon’s Dogma 2 early access by exploiting the easy New Zealand release time trick.

Previews have hyped Dragon’s Dogma 2 as a possible game-of-the-year contender. The game does have romance with the Beloved system returning and expanded upon, and the game does have the best character creator of any single-player game as seen by dozens of recreated celebrity faces. Alas, there is no multiplayer, for which the director has explained why there is no online co-op.

While some may be disappointed by the lack of multiplayer, everything else about the game looks utterly superb. It has vast open regions, the gameplay looks great, and there will be dozens of ginormous boss fights. If you especially cannot wait to become the Arisen, you can get early access by performing the simple and common New Zealand release time trick on March 21st.

Does Dragon’s Dogma 2 have early access?

There is no early access pre-order bonus for Dragon’s Dogma 2. This applies to both the Standard and Digital Deluxe editions.

While the lack of such an incentive might be disappointing, it’s still worth pre-ordering so you can preload Dragon’s Dogma 2 ahead of its release date. You can preload right now on both Xbox and PS5 consoles. It should also be available to preload on PC from March 20th, too.

Make sure you meet the minimum and recommended system requirements if you plan to play on PC.

Pre-order bonuses

Below are the prices and pre-order bonuses:

Standard edition – £59.99:

• Pre-order bonus – Superior Weapons Quartet

Deluxe edition – £69.99:

• Pre-order bonus – Superior Weapons Quartet
• A Boon for Adventurers
  • Ring of Assurance
  • Explorer’s Camping Kit
  • Dragon’s Dogma Music & Sound Collection
  • Harpysnare Smoke Beacons
  • Heartfelt Pendant
  • Ambivalent Rift Incense
  • Makeshift Gaol Key
  • Art of Metamorphosis
  • Wakestone
  • 1,500 Rift Crystals

Can you play early?

Yes, you can play Dragon’s Dogma 2 early by performing the New Zealand release time trick on March 21st. It is also possible to technically play a sample of the game right now by downloading the free character creator demo that is available on PlayStation, Xbox, and Steam.

Although it doesn’t feature any explorative or combative gameplay, it is worth downloading the character creator to create your Arisen and main pawn before launch. Your created characters will be transferrable to the main game.

It’s also worth downloading the demo simply because of how good the character creator is especially compared to other single-player games. There’s an astonishing amount of options and sliders, and it basically gives you the freedom to create anyone your heart desires from either the muscular deity that floods your lustful dreams or the crooked, hideous beast that haunts your nightmares.

Dragon’s Dogma 2 New Zealand release time

The release time for when Dragon’s Dogma 2 will come out in New Zealand is 12 AM NZDT on March 22nd. Basically, game on consoles launches at local midnight on March 22nd for both PS5 and Xbox.

However, it is not the same for PC. On Steam, the release time for when Dragon’s Dogma 2 will come out is 1 PM NZDT on March 22nd. It has a simultaneous global launch on PC unlike consoles which is staggered. Because of this, players in the United States actually get to play before console users without needing to exploit the New Zealand trick.

Check out our release date and time countdown guide for all of the launch hours for console and PC.

How to play Dragon’s Dogma 2 early with New Zealand trick

Dragon’s Dogma 2 players can perform the New Zealand release time trick from 4 AM PT/ 7 AM ET/ 11 AM GMT on March 21st. It only applies to Xbox consoles and you need to have pre-ordered and preloaded the game.

Provided you have pre-ordered and preloaded, simply follow the below steps at the aforementioned hours on March 21st:

• Start your Xbox
• Head to Settings
• Click System
• Choose Language and Location
• Change location to New Zealand
• Restart your Xbox

There is technically a New Zealand trick available for PS5, too, but it’s ultimately not worth it on PlayStation. On Xbox the trick is simple and free, meanwhile, on PS5 you’d have to create an NZ account and you’d have to buy NZ gift cards which would cost more than just buying the game from your region’s PSN store.

In addition, there is no trick that will work for PC as it has a simultaneous global launch instead of a staggered midnight release for every region.

For more Dragon’s Dogma 2, we have a guide to everything you need to know about the game’s difficulty, and we also have an explanation of the game’s open-world and fast travel. Lastly, we also have a guide to all of the classes.